


By Old Tradition

by ladydragon76



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: KINK: bondage, M/M, Rating: NC-17 - Freeform, character: skywarp, character: starscream, character: thundercracker, genre: action, genre: crack, genre: fluff, genre: humor, smut: sparks, verse: g1, warning: canon- what canon?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-02
Packaged: 2018-03-28 18:33:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3865336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydragon76/pseuds/ladydragon76
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Summary:</b> It’s time for Starscream to claim himself a trine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	By Old Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> **‘Verse:** G1  
>  **Series:** None  
>  **Rating:** NC-17  
>  **Characters:** Starscream/Thundercracker/Skywarp  
>  **Warnings:** Spark Smut  
>  **Notes:** Writing my own prompt, which can be found [here](http://tfanonkink.livejournal.com/10462.html?thread=10482398#t10482398) for interested parties. Just a little fully consensual mate-napping fun for modern (pre-war) Seekers. I laughed a LOT while writing this, so I really hope you guys enjoy it too. ^_^

Fly casual, Starscream thought as he swept around the spires of Vos. It was late, but Vos never really slept, and there were plenty of mechs out and moving as well. It made sneaking along the high towers and spires less like sneaking and more like not looking as though he was up to something. It wouldn’t do for a friend of Thundercracker’s to see Starscream close and warn him. Though tonight was only to check the security and see how difficult it would actually be to get close to Thundercracker. Not that that would stop Starscream from flying off with his mate if he could.

He landed on the balcony and glanced around, but no one seemed to be eyeing him. Thundercracker lived with his cousin trine, just the four of them in this small aerie. An aerie that had an easily hackable lock. Were his cousins anxious to be rid of Thundercracker? One would think the family of a courted Seeker would be on high alert, just waiting to thwart the intended. Or maybe the traps were inside?

Starscream slid the door open and slipped into the quiet, dark flat, gaze sweeping the main room. No one rushed him and no alarms blared, so he crept in farther, leaving the door partly open so he could more easily escape. The berthroom doors were shut, and Starscream heard soft moans coming from behind the one and smirked. The cousins were _busy_. He really might just be able to escape with Thundercracker tonight after all, and went to his intended’s door. A quick hack of the keypad allowed Starscream to slide it open manually. There was a wing sticking up from the berth, a blacker shadow in a black room, and he moved silently over. A light touch, and Thundercracker shifted with a soft sound.

Starscream inhaled, braced himself, then clamped a hand over Thundercracker’s mouth and jerked him in close. “Mine now,” he purred as the other Seeker struggled.

Sudden blinding light filled the room, and before Starscream could reset his optics, Thundercracker asked, “What are you doing to my cousin, Star?”

Starscream blinked, then looked down at the pale green Seeker he held against his chest. He felt a grin form beneath his hand just before the slagger licked him. “Gah!”

Crosswind laughed as he was shoved away, but shouted as Starscream launched toward Thundercracker.

“Like slag!” Thundercracker said and dove off the berth. “Not making it that easy for you.”

“I don’t know,” Starscream said as he gave chase. “It wasn’t exactly difficult to get in here.”

“Hi, Starscream,” Cloudraker said from the door. He looked rather disheveled. “Tonight’s the night, huh?”

“If your cousin would stand still,” Starscream replied, running back up onto the berth and past a still laughing Crosswind. He was about to lunge at Thundercracker again when the green Seeker grabbed his ankle and yanked. Starscream went down, grunting as he impacted the floor.

“Contrail’s calling some friends,” Cloudraker commented as Starscream dragged himself back to his feet. “So you might want to get on with that catching. We’re about to make escaping with TC a lot harder for you.”

Thundercracker snickered, blue wings fluttering teasingly from across the room. “He’s fast, but he slagged his chances of getting me tonight when he tried to abduct your mate instead.”

Crosswind fluttered his wings too. “Don’t be jealous, cousin.”

Contrail appeared in the doorway too, and Starscream huffed and flicked his wings. No, he was not escaping with Thundercracker tonight, but this just proved they really were guarding him better than Starscream had initially thought. “Friends?” he asked.

“Oh yeah,” Contrail said with a smirk. “Few trines. Fly little Seeker. Come back when you’re worthy of my cousin.”

Red optics narrowed, but there were voices from the main room now calling out for Contrail and Thundercracker. Starscream spun around, face burning despite his own suppressed laughter, and he hurried to unlock the window. Behind him Thundercracker and his cousin trine laughed, but made no move to stop him. Outside was a different story, and Starscream dove hard to avoid the mechs that gave chase. Luckily, they didn’t follow him too far, and he smirked as he looked back toward the spire of Thundercracker’s building. That had been nothing. They were treating the abduction as a game. Which it was, of course, but Starscream got the sense that they would _let_ him take Thundercracker after a few attempts. That just wouldn’t do. Starscream would make better plans and return. For now, he had a second trine mate to test.

~

Starscream hid in the shadows on a small side balcony on the tower opposite from Skywarp’s family aerie. He was hoping Thundercracker hadn’t warned the other Seeker, but there was no way for him to be sure until he went over there. Watching wasn’t revealing anything as the flat was dark, but that didn’t mean they weren’t lying in wait, and Skywarp had a large family. He lived with his parent trine, and Acid Storm’s two brothers also lived there with their trines and younglings. Starscream was up against fourteen instead of four this time. And Skywarp could teleport. Acid Storm was also very traditional, so this abduction was likely to require more work than Thundercracker’s.

There was no use stalling until dawn, however, so Starscream glanced around, then flew over to the main entrance of Skywarp’s home. The lock and alarms were more complicated to bypass, but that was probably to be expected of the Second Trine’s home. It still wasn’t anything Starscream couldn’t handle, and before anyone noticed, he crept inside.

The flat was silent and dark, and Starscream was able to move about undetected. He knew which room was Skywarp’s and was extra careful in opening the door since the purple Seeker shared the space with his four youngling cousins. Two were barely out of their sparklinghood, and the other pair were also fairly young still, but they _knew_ what Starscream was to their older cousin. They wouldn’t just let Starscream make off with Skywarp as a ‘prank’. The five of them recharged in a pile on a large cushion that took up most of the floor, and Skywarp was easy to spot. He was lying on his side, an arm and leg flung over two of the smaller mechs, but luckily for Starscream, no one was lying on him tonight. He’d told Starscream stories of waking up under all four younglings plenty of times.

Starscream snuck over to the berth, optics searching for the best angle to grab Skywarp from. He clamped a hand over his intended’s mouth with one hand and pulled him back from the younglings with the other. Red optics flared, then a purple flash glowed. All four younglings jerked awake at the _vop_ of Skywarp’s teleportation, and one simply screamed. He was quickly joined by his sibling and two cousins while Skywarp cackled from the far side of the room.

The lights came on, Acid Storm’s brilliant green filling the doorway. He gave Starscream a brief smirk, then shouted, “Get him!”

Starscream launched toward Skywarp only to fetch up against an empty wall. Squealing, laughing, screaming younglings tore after him. Starscream laughed too, and dove away. He had to be more careful around the mechlings who were only half his size, but eight grasping hands were hard to avoid. He stumbled backward and _fell_ out the open window to a side balcony.

“It was _open_?!” Starscream shouted as he scrambled to his feet. Primus, had he known _that_ , he could have just grabbed Skywarp and run. Sure he might have failed anyway, but there was a chance flight would have kept his intended in his grasp a little longer.

From inside the laughter grew louder and the younglings followed Starscream onto the balcony.

“Run, Star~” Skywarp sang as he leaned out and waved. “My carrier’s coming after you.”

Thrusters sounded off to the right, and Starscream didn’t wait to see IceStorm charge him. He dove right off the balcony, falling several floors before engaging his thrusters and hauling tailfins away from the Second Trine’s home. He snickered as he ducked into an alcove and flattened his back to the wall. IceStorm shot by, quickly followed by Sunstorm and Nightstorm- one of Skywarp’s uncles. Only moments later Stormline and Lightstorm shot by, and Starscream huddled back out of sight as best he could. Acid Storm and the others must have stayed behind to guard Skywarp and mind the younglings, and Starscream shook his helm. He was absolutely not naming any creations of his ‘storm’ anything.

“Are you ok?” a Seeker asked as he drifted closer.

Starscream startled and stared at the mech with wide optics. “I’m fine.”

“Ok. You know you were just… standing there and like… giggling quietly.”

Oops. “I’m playing a prank on my trine.” Starscream flashed the other Seeker a smile. “If you see anyone looking for me, tell them I went that way.” He pointed to the left, then launched to the right past the confused mech.

~ | ~

The very next night, Starscream was back. It was earlier, and when he snuck a peek into Thundercracker’s flat, he and his cousins were awake, alert, and looked ready to do battle. Starscream smirked and decided that he’d wait for them to give up watch for the night before he made his attempt. _He_ was well-rested and had arranged for the time to do this. As far as he knew, Thundercracker and the cousin trine were still working their usual shifts at their various jobs. Late nights would wear on them quickly.

Starscream flew off to Skywarp’s home, and found everyone more than ready for him. He barely reached the tower’s airspace when something slapped his wing from behind hard enough to smart.

“Get him!” one of the Storms cried, and suddenly Starscream was being pelted from all directions. The older pair of younglings were flight-capable, and they screamed in glee as they gave chase. Bright, paint-filled balls stung as they burst against Starscream’s plating. The wings were the worst, but it didn’t feel all that great anywhere.

“Hi, Star!” Skywarp called from a balcony. He waved as Starscream shot by, laughing from his place between IceStorm and Acid Storm.

That meant Sunstorm was-

Brilliant yellow swept down, forcing Starscream to veer away from the tower. They’d gathered quite an audience with all the noise, and Starscream angled up to a neighboring tower’s balcony to land behind a few of the spectators. He smirked, then waved across to Skywarp.

“Fly away with me!” Starscream shouted, ducking aside to use another Seeker as a shield when Skywarp’s family hovered into a line between them.

“Come and take me!” Skywarp yelled back. Beside him, the younger set of Seekerlets jumped up and down, and screamed.

One of the younglings could wait no longer and fired at the mechs Starscream was hiding behind. They all shouted and scattered, and Starscream used the chaos to his advantage. He launched upward, blew a kiss at Skywarp, then dove. Sunstorm was really the only one that had a hope of keeping up with him, but he was well and truly chased off. The paint was beginning to mess with his flight sensors- not to mention it was itchy. This round went to Skywarp’s defenders, who had unwittingly aided Thundercracker tonight as well. Starscream couldn’t possibly go back there while covered in garish, bright splatters of paint. Primus, that was a lurid shade of yellow. Fragging Sunstorm.

Starscream was still snickering as he scrubbed himself clean. He had _plans_ , and tomorrow night, he was going to claim both of his mates.

~ | ~

Starscream flew high above the city. Thundercracker would be first again, and once he reached the tower, Starscream simply dropped, using his antigravs to guide him to the roof entry just under the highest spire. He would be sneaking in from the inner, far less used, door tonight. His plan would only work here due to a quirk of Contrail’s. He liked his morning energon with a number of supplements, but they tasted better if they were allowed to dissolve and combine overnight. Starscream had an additive of his own to toss into the mix. Just a little something to prove he was far more clever and determined than they ever thought.

Getting through the interior door was even easier than coming in at the balcony had been. Starscream stood still, the door still open into the dark hall behind him, and listened. There were only a few hours left until dawn, and they likely would have given up watch by now, but it paid to be cautious. The flat was silent, however, and Starscream crept to the counter and the waiting energon. From his subspace, he removed four carefully measured doses of a mild -but fast-acting- sedative. It would put them all back into recharge, and then Starscream could sneak back in and take Thundercracker away.

Energon prepared, Starscream snuck back toward the berthrooms just to be sure. Thundercracker’s was alarmed, but empty. Starscream reset the alarm carefully, then checked on the trine’s room. Thundercracker was in the middle of the mech pile, and while all four were gone to the world, Starscream wouldn’t risk it. He would stick to his plan, and come back for his mate in a few hours. He retraced his steps, locked up, then left the tower the same way he’d entered.

~

There were guards and watchers posted around Skywarp’s balconies -Primus, was that one of the Winglord’s own trine? Yes. Frelling Pits! It absolutely was. Starscream bit his lip against the laugh that bubbled up, and entered his intended’s home the same way as Thundercracker’s. Security was tighter, of course, but still nothing Starscream couldn’t get through with a few minutes of careful hacking and reprogramming. They were all outside watching for him, not inside, and the sole lookout on the roof had been chattering away on his comms. Some friend of the family, Starscream suspected.

Sedatives were out of the question here. Not only did they not set out the morning’s energon, but the risk to the younglings was far too high. Even a mild sedative could harm forming systems. Starscream didn’t hold much hope of getting out with Skywarp this morning, but he had some readings and measurements to take. He found Skywarp recharging with his creators after sneaking past two of the younglings in the lounge, and quickly gathered the information he needed. Getting away clean with that data was more important than letting them know he’d been there, and Starscream left as silently as he’d arrived. Resetting the security was the most finicky part of his adventure, but even that was accomplished without detection. Now to get his first mate home and begin working on a way to capture Skywarp.

~

Starscream landed unmolested on Thundercracker’s entry balcony, and peeked through the transparasteel door. He snickered at the four frames draped around the room and clearly unconscious. Breaking in was nothing, and he strode right over to Contrail first. He arranged all three of the cousins on the sofas, and set out a datapad and three vials of an orange liquid. It would help clear the sedative from their systems once they woke, which he would be helping along in just another few minutes.

First, however, Starscream hauled Thundercracker out to the balcony. He was strong enough to carry the blue Seeker to his home, but he had brought a sling that would make it much easier on his arms. Thundercracker was arranged on the sling, then Starscream went back inside to tend the other three Seekers. He dripped a small amount of the counteragent into each of their mouths, then darted out of the flat to get away with his new mate.

Laughter greeted Starscream as he waddled to the balcony edge with Thundercracker strapped to him, his taller mate’s legs dragging against the bright tiles between his own feet. With a wave, Starscream flashed the laughing mech a grin, then let himself fall over the edge.

“Congratulations!” the Seeker shouted, still laughing as he flew off.

Starscream chuckled, then made the slow flight home, beaming proudly the whole way. Mechs waved and laughed and shouted their well wishes too.

Once home, Starscream settled Thundercracker on the berth, then bound him to it. Soft polishing clothes were wrapped around wrists and ankles before the cuffs were locked in place. It wouldn’t do for his new mate to be uncomfortable after all. When he was done, he stepped back and admired his handiwork. Heat buzzed under his plating, but even if Thundercracker were conscious, Starscream wouldn’t claim him yet. He needed to catch Skywarp first.

In fact, the Seeker thought, he ought to go make a run against his intended before Thundercracker woke. Chances were slim to none that he could capture Skywarp without the disruptor he needed to design and build, but he didn’t want anyone thinking he’d given up. Skywarp was sensitive. It would hurt his feelings if Starscream didn’t try something. Not to mention appearing in the daylight would startle them all with his sheer audacity.

Starscream gave Thundercracker one more look, but he would recharge for a while longer anyway, then left. He flew fast and hard toward Skywarp’s home, well aware that he had practice this morning. Staying low, and startling the mechs flying to their various jobs and tasks, Starscream shot around a tower, thrusters roaring. Someone shouted, and Skywarp flinched midair, but Starscream was on him.

Or he would have been, but his intended had that clever little ability and teleported away. Starscream flipped around, zeroing in on Skywarp’s laughter. The two of them zipped all around the tower to the cheers and shouts of their audience. Skywarp was laughing so hard it was amazing he was even still in the air. Starscream chased him halfway to his sky dancing class, then broke off with a blown kiss and wave. Skywarp giggled, fluttered his wings, then waved as two of his uncles caught up to him.

Starscream would have loved to have kept chasing him, but his internal alarm pinged the reminder that Thundercracker would be waking soon. He didn’t want his first mate to wake alone.

~

Thundercracker was just stirring as Starscream entered their berthroom. “Good morning,” he purred and knelt next to the blue Seeker’s hip. “Welcome home.”

“Fragger,” Thundercracker rumbled, then squirmed as he realized he was bound. “I’m not going to run, Star.”

Starscream smirked. “Not bound to my- _our_ berth you won’t. Here,” he said and offered a gelled energon treat. “You must be hungry.”

Thundercracker arched an optic ridge. “You know damn well I had my morning energon.”

The treat was rubbed playfully along Thundercracker’s lower lip. “Yes,” he snickered, “you did, didn’t you?”

“Are my cousins ok?” The goodie was taken, Thundercracker making sure to lick the bright blue finger and thumb as he did.

Starscream pretended his plating didn’t just chime from a shiver of lust and said, “They’re fine, though you might want to ping your supervisor that you’ve been claimed and won’t be in for a while.”

Thundercracker glanced around. “No Warp yet?”

“Not yet. I just came back from chasing him around Vos.”

“You ran after him in broad daylight?” Thundercracker shook his helm, then took the second offered treat. “My bold mate,” he purred once the energon had been consumed. “So.” His hips lifted from the berth, thighs spreading just a little. “Stake your claim and let’s go get the little glitch.”

Starscream leaned down to steal a kiss, which Thundercracker returned enthusiastically, then pulled back. “Sorry, my beloved intended. I won’t be claiming you until I can claim both of you.” He let his hand trail lightly down the front of Thundercracker’s chest, then rose from the berth. “I’ll be back in just a moment. I need to gather a few things to work on a project, but we can talk, or I can turn on the vid for you.”

“You’re not going to claim me,” Thundercracker said in a flat tone.

“Not until I have Skywarp there next to you,” Starscream replied sweetly.

“Star!”

Starscream snickered as he left the berthroom. Tempting though Thundercracker was, he had his plans, and he needed to get busy on them.

~ | ~

Starscream made a point of being seen around Skywarp’s home at about the same time for the next few nights. He was chased off from trying to break in each time, laughing and mocking the guards. Each time he approached from around the sides of other towers, and then fled back toward his own home. They called after him, teasing and laughing that Thundercracker must be keeping him worn out.

Thundercracker would have liked to do such a thing, but he was still bound to the berth. He was compliant enough, refueling, accepting the light kisses, and purring happily when Starscream snuggled into his side to recharge. The lack of a claiming was a frequent complaint, but no matter how tempting the blue Seeker was, Starscream wasn’t going to change his plans.

“One more night,” he promised Thundercracker. “Then I’ll claim you both together.”

“Think you can, huh?” Thundercracker taunted.

Smirking, Starscream traced a single fingertip out to the tip of a wing and watched his intended shudder. Red optics darkened to garnet, then blinked, and Thundercracker hissed a curse at him. Starscream laughed, then leaned down to kiss the pout he was given. “Are you hungry? Do you need anything before I go collect that silly glitch?”

“No,” Thundercracker grumbled, leaning up to bite Starscream’s lip. “Hurry back.”

~

There were still guards despite the fact that Starscream had already made one run on Skywarp earlier that night, but they certainly looked less awake and alert. Starscream grinned to himself, then silently flew away so he could gain the altitude he needed. Like before, he dropped down to the spire on nothing but his antigravs, crept past the recharging Seeker on the roof, and made his way into Skywarp’s home.

Through the dark rooms, Starscream snuck, alert to what sounded like someone in the washroom. There was no telling who it was, but he took the risk and locked the uncle trines in their rooms first. A peek into what was Skywarp’s room with the younglings showed that the four were piled on one another and in recharge. Starscream locked that door too, with a special code of his own. It wouldn’t be impossible to get the little ones out, nor for their creators to escape their own rooms, but it _should_ take just enough time that Starscream would be able to escape with Skywarp.

The water shut off, and Starscream eyed the washroom door. It had to be either Skywarp or his creators. Maybe more than one, but the safest thing was to check Acid Storm’s berthroom first. There was no light showing, so whoever was awake in the washroom was the only one. If Starscream was _really_ lucky it would be Skywarp.

It wasn’t, which he discovered the moment he entered Acid Storm’s room and saw both the green Seeker and Sunstorm recharging together with Skywarp draped over his yellow sire’s back. This would work, Starscream thought, spark spinning faster in excitement and anticipation. Up to this point, he had been calm and methodical, but now he had to bite his lip and fight the urge to snicker. He took the small disruptor he had built from his subspace, and moved silently to the berth. Carefully, oh-so-gently, the disruptor was placed right between Skywarp’s wing hinges. Most Seekers couldn’t touch that spot themselves, and Starscream was hoping that in any chaos, no one else would see the little, black, rectangular device. With it attached and activated Skywarp wouldn’t be able to teleport or fly.

Starscream considered just knocking him out, but then he’d have to wait for the effects to completely clear his intended’s systems before he could get on with the claiming. And for all that he had managed to resist Thundercracker, Starscream’s own systems heated _very_ easily. No, he was going to take Skywarp, throw him on the berth beside Thundercracker, and claim the ever-loving Pit out of the both of them.

But first, he had to get out of here. Starscream wrapped an arm around Skywarp and gently pulled. Surprisingly, Skywarp didn’t wake, then he even wiggled back closer, a sleepy murmur breaking the silence of the room. Starscream purred softly and moved his hands into position, feet braced. He inhaled, reran the route out in his mind, then yanked his intended up and over his shoulder.

Several things happened all at once. The lights came on, Skywarp yelped, then grunted as his middle impacted Starscream’s shoulder, and IceStorm chirped, “Oh, hi, Starscream.”

“Hi, IceStorm,” Starscream replied and strode toward the mech as Sunstorm and Acid Storm struggled to wake and climb off the berth behind him. “Excuse me.”

“Oh.” IceStorm took a step back, and smiled. “It’s really early.”

“I know,” Starscream replied as he carefully maneuvered through the doorway. “Why are you awake?”

“I was hungry, then spilled energon on myself because it was dark. Had to wash before I went back to the berth.” Pale blue-white wings dipped and wobbled. “Didn’t want to get them all sticky, you know.”

“Very thoughtful,” Starscream said.

“Primus fraggit, Ice!” Acid Storm snapped, his plating clanking against the floor as he fell from the berth. “Grab him!”

“Oh!”

Starscream laughed, but he was clear enough to run, and did so.

“This is not comfortable, Star,” Skywarp complained and wriggled. “Hey! Hey, what’d you do?!”

Sunstorm shouted, banging on the other berthroom doors to wake the household, and lights were coming on. The guards outside were about to be involved too, Starscream guessed. He went for the front door and yanked it open, unconcerned with the alarm now and hoping that he would startle anyone waiting. In the background, IceStorm squealed and laughed. Acid Storm shouted, and from behind the locked doors were other confused yells.

Starscream dashed across the balcony, leaving the chaos behind him while laughing.

“Star!” Skywarp yelped as they launched off into the air. Sleepy guards shouted and thrusters roared to life.

It _was_ difficult to fly with Skywarp over his shoulder and throwing off his balance, but Starscream managed to get a decent lead. “Climb onto my back,” he said and pushed at Skywarp.

“I was having a nice dream,” Skywarp replied. “I don’t think I’m going to help you.” Then the glitch fanned out his wings, creating even more drag. “Oh, look. It’s Sunstorm. Hi, sire!”

Starscream muttered to himself, and dove, but he could feel Sunstorm gaining on him. The bright yellow Seeker was one of the _very_ few that could challenge Starscream for speed, and he was more than a match with Skywarp being contrary. Then he was simply not there. For a moment as Starscream wobbled from the sudden change in weight, he thought his device had failed, but then he saw Sunstorm and Skywarp below. Sunstorm rolled, leaving Skywarp to freefall above him for a moment, then caught his creation on his back and shot way. Starscream tore after them.

Others were catching up as Sunstorm hauled aft as best he could with Skywarp on his back, and Starscream was forced to twist and dodge. Oh, it was still a game, but Starscream wasn’t being driven off this time. He spun in a tight corkscrew, barely missing the dark Seeker that tried to block him.

“Daring brat!” the Winglord’s mate, Razorwing, shouted after him.

Starscream picked Skywarp off Sunstorm’s back, flipped his feet forward, and as soon as Sunstorm was out of damage range, engaged his thrusters at full. The g-force nearly dragged Skywarp from his hands, but had the benefit of making his intended cling to him. He was slowed a lot again, however, and now more mechs were in the way. Some tried to snatch Skywarp back, but most just got in the way, slowing Starscream and making maneuvering difficult. They were making an unholy racket too, and Seekers from neighboring aeries and towers were getting in on the game.

Starscream cackled as an unknown mech whooped and landed on Nightstorm, driving Skywarp’s uncle down and out of the way. It was an hour before dawn, and instead of a handful of mechs quietly flying on their way, _hundreds_ were in the air. Starscream doubted it ever got this loud other than on festival days. Above him there was a whistle.

“Drop. We got this!” a dark Seeker said from under a pale silver and red Seeker. He was being carried in the exact position Skywarp was, and Starscream obeyed even as he laughed.

“Fraggin’ decoy!” Skywarp howled with laughter, but Starscream caught a few more pale Seekers carrying dark ones.

It caused just enough confusion that when Starscream met his next blockade, he laughed in the mechs’ faces. “Fooled you.”

“No!” Skywarp shouted. “We’re the real ones! Help! Help! I’m being abducted! He’s going to ravish me!” He hurt his own case by laughing so hard, and the mechs shared a look before darting off after a decoy pair. “Hey!”

“Too late, sweetspark,” Starscream said. “You’re mine now.” Because, somehow, they had managed to lose Skywarp’s family in the pandemonium. Starscream wasn’t about to wait around and be found again either, and hurried to get a few towers between them and the shouting crowd of Seekers behind them.

Skywarp was still giggling when Starscream landed on his own balcony, even when tossed over his soon-to-be trine leader’s shoulder again. Starscream walked into his home, locked up, then carried Skywarp to the berthroom. Thundercracker jolted awake, optics brightening when he saw them.

“Slag me!”

“Hi, TC!” Skywarp said, gasping through his laughter as he was dumped on his side on the berth cushion.

Starscream hurried to tie the purple Seeker to the berth, but had to sit on him to do it. Skywarp put up a playful struggle, but in the end it was just for show. Good thing too, because Starscream was _tired_. Not that being a little worn out was going to stop him from claiming his mates.

Thoroughly.

Once Skywarp was arranged, Thundercracker had to be shifted to his side, but he was eager and willing to comply. The position was a little awkward with both his mates facing one another and Starscream on his hands and knees above them, but this was it. His spark gave a harder pulse from the sheer thrill of victory, and he pressed down over them both.

“Open. Both of you,” Starscream ordered.

Thundercracker’s plating retracted even faster than Starscream’s, but Skywarp smirked up at him. “That’s it? Just open up and get zapped?”

“Yes!” Thundercracker snapped. “I’ve been here for four frelling days.” He gave Skywarp a light kick. “Open the frag up!”

Starscream laughed as he dipped his helm down to kiss Skywarp. “We’ll get more creative once I can untie you.”

Skywarp purred, “Can be damn creative tied up too.”

“Primus,” Thundercracker grumbled, then flared his spark out.

Not about to let one of his mates truly start their first merging, Starscream reached out too, deliberately pushing spark energy against both of the mechs under him. Skywarp’s plating retracted, and his spark light joined with Thundercracker and Starscream’s. Another rolling throb of energy, and Starscream pulled them both into the merge. Skywarp moaned, and Thundercracker sighed in relief. Tingling bliss swept Starscream’s wings up and back, and he bit back the whimper of need that tried to escape. He had worked toward this for so long, and now they were his. He’d courted and captured them both.

“Mine,” Starscream whispered, then moaned as he sank into the rhythm of their joined sparks. “Fragging Primus, you’re finally mine.” Heat and lust flashed over the connection and raged through Starscream’s body.

Thundercracker writhed, mouth open and panting, while Skywarp squirmed and arched. Starscream pressed the front of his helm against the side of Thundercracker’s and whispered to them both the ancient words he’d practiced until, even drowning in ecstasy, he didn’t trip over a single syllable. Skywarp keened his reply as he shook, and Thundercracker’s face was damp as he mouthed the words his seized vocalizer couldn’t make audible. Starscream turned his face to capture Skywarp’s mouth in a hot, hard kiss, then did the same to Thundercracker.

Skywarp broke first, his loud cry echoing in the berthroom. Thundercracker threw his helm back, low, rumbling moan vibrating the very air. Then the backlash consumed Starscream and the world blazed white. For a timeless moment, he floated in thick, warm rapture, fully aware of the sparks connected to his, but it couldn’t last. It took more than a single merge to create a fully stabilized bond.

Starscream slumped over his mates and listened to the soft sounds they made. Thundercracker’s vents were hitching, and Skywarp was whimpering and gasping.

“Fragging _finally_ ,” Thundercracker said, then cycled his vents, exhaling with a heavy sigh.

Skywarp snickered, then tugged at the cables holding his arms over his head. “Untie me. I’m not even close to done with you two.”

Starscream smirked at him, then moved to untie Thundercracker first. He helped his blue mate sit upright for the first time in days, then massaged his shoulder joints.

“Aw, com’on!” Skywarp whined, then began pushing at the both of them with his feet. “Untie me.”

“Didn’t you say it would be fun to be tied up through more adventuresome rounds of interfacing?” Starscream asked.

“Pretty sure I heard him say something like that,” Thundercracker said, and flashed Skywarp a grin.

Skywarp’s hands opened and closed as he reached toward them both. “Later. I want to touch you now. Right now. Now. Now. Star, now. Now.”

“Alright! Primus,” Starscream said with a laugh, and moved to untie his glitchy, ridiculous mate. He should have expected it, but the instant Skywarp was able to move, he tackled Starscream to the berth.

“Hiya, sexy.” A purple finger stroked around the edge of a pectoral vent. “Love you. About time you claimed us.” The same finger tapped along the central seam of Starscream’s chest plating. “Now open up. I want more.”

Thundercracker leaned in from the side. “Demanding, isn’t he?”

“And people say I’m the fussy one,” Starscream replied, but he opened his plating, sparklight pulsing against the silver of Skywarp’s chest. Then Thundercracker pushed his way in close too, and Starscream surrendered to the hot wave of pleasure that swept over his sensornet.


End file.
